Apparatus, method, and process with laser induced channel edge

Abstract

An apparatus, method, and process that includes a substantially transparent substrate having a first surface, a second surface, and edge extending around at least a portion of a perimeter of the substantially transparent substrate, wherein the edge being a laser induced channel edge having enhanced edge characteristics.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An electrochromic rearview mirror assembly comprising:
 a first substrate; 
 a second substrate, wherein said first substrate and said second substrate define a cavity; and 
 an electrochromic medium at least partially filling said cavity; 
 wherein at least one of said first and second substrates is a substantially transparent substrate comprising at least one laser induced channel edge; 
 wherein said at least one laser induced channel edge comprises a plurality of laser induced channels continuously extending from an entry surface of at least one of said first substrate and said second substrate to a depth thereof. 
 
     
     
       2. The electrochromic rearview mirror assembly of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of said plurality of laser induced channels are substantially equally spaced. 
     
     
       3. The electrochromic rearview mirror assembly of  claim 1 , wherein a roughness of said at least one laser induced channel edge across a thickness is an Rq value of less than approximately 1.6. 
     
     
       4. The electrochromic rearview mirror assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said laser induced channel edge comprises a first portion, a second portion, and a third portion, and roughness along a path of at least two of said first portion, said second portion, and said third portion are substantially equal. 
     
     
       5. The electrochromic rearview mirror assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one laser induced channel edge has less than approximately 230 deformations per 1.75 mm2. 
     
     
       6. The electrochromic rearview mirror assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one laser induced channel edge has a straightness after separation of less than approximately 0.033 mm. 
     
     
       7. The electrochromic rearview mirror assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one laser induced channel edge along a thickness of said at least one laser induced channel edge has a straightness of less than approximately 0.010 mm. 
     
     
       8. The electrochromic rearview mirror assembly of  claim 1 , wherein a perpendicularity along a thickness of said at least one laser induced channel edge of less than approximately 0.025 mm. 
     
     
       9. The electrochromic rearview mirror assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one laser induced channel edge defines a hole in said substantially transparent substrate. 
     
     
       10. The electrochromic rearview mirror assembly of  claim 9 , wherein a portion of said substantially transparent substrate that forms said hole is re-inserted into said substantially transparent substrate. 
     
     
       11. The electrochromic rearview mirror assembly of  claim 9 , wherein said hole is at least partially filled with a conductive material. 
     
     
       12. The electrochromic rearview mirror assembly of  claim 1 , wherein electrochromic mirror has a reduced perceived seal width. 
     
     
       13. The electrochromic rearview mirror assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one laser induced channel edge is angled with respect to said entry surface. 
     
     
       14. An electro-optic assembly comprising:
 a first substrate; 
 a second substrate, wherein said first substrate and said second substrate define a cavity; and 
 an electro-optic medium at least partially filling said cavity; 
 wherein at least one of said first and second substrates being a substantially transparent substrate comprising at least one laser induced channel edge; 
 wherein said at least one laser induced channel edge comprises a plurality of laser induced channels continuously extending from an entry surface of at least one of said first substrate and said second substrate to a depth thereof; 
 wherein at least a portion of said plurality of laser induced channels are substantially equally spaced. 
 
     
     
       15. The electro-optic assembly of  claim 14 , wherein said at least one laser induced channel edge has a straightness after separation of less than approximately 0.033 mm 
     
     
       16. The electro-optic assembly of  claim 14 , wherein a perpendicularity along a thickness of said at least one laser induced channel edge of less than approximately 0.025 mm. 
     
     
       17. The electro-optic assembly of  claim 14 , wherein said at least one laser induced channel edge has a damage area extending from said laser induced channel edge inwards of less than approximately 0.09 mm. 
     
     
       18. The electro-optic assembly of  claim 14 , wherein said at least one laser induced channel edge has a start/stop area is less than approximately 2 mm. 
     
     
       19. The electro-optic assembly of  claim 14 , wherein a roughness of said at least one laser induced channel edge across a thickness is an Rq value of less than approximately 1.6. 
     
     
       20. The electro-optic assembly of  claim 14 , wherein said at least one laser induced channel edge has a straightness after separation of less than approximately 0.033 mm. 
     
     
       21. The electro-optic assembly of  claim 14 , wherein said at least one laser induced channel edge defines a hole in said substantially transparent substrate. 
     
     
       22. The electro-optic assembly of  claim 14 , wherein said at least one laser induced channel edge is angled with respect to said entry surface. 
     
     
       23. The electro-optic assembly of  claim 14 , wherein said at least one laser induced channel edge along a thickness of said at least one laser induced channel edge has a straightness of less than approximately 0.025 mm. 
     
     
       24. The electro-optic assembly of  claim 14 , wherein said substantially transparent substrate is one of soda-lime float glass, alkaline earth boro-aluminosilacate glass, alkali-aluminosilcate glass, chemically strengthened glass, insulated glass, tempered glass, sapphire, silicon, silicon carbide, compound semiconductor, optical crystals, liquid crystal substrate, diamond, tempered glass, quartz, and ceramic. 
     
     
       25. An apparatus comprising:
 a transparent substrate comprising at least one laser induced channel edge; 
 wherein said at least one laser induced channel edge comprises a plurality of laser induced channels continuously extending from an entry surface of said transparent substrate to a depth thereof; 
 wherein at least a portion of said plurality of laser induced channels are equally spaced; 
 wherein a roughness of said at least one laser induced channel edge across a thickness is an Rq value of less than approximately 1.6 after being formed without post edge formation processing; 
 wherein said at least one laser induced channel edge has a straightness along a thickness of said at least one laser induced channel edge of less than approximately 0.025 mm; and 
 wherein the apparatus is one of an electro-optic device an interior electrochromic mirror, an exterior electrochromic mirror, an aircraft electrochromic window, an architectural electrochromic window, a lense cover, a display cover, a display a microscope slide, cover glass, a mobile device component, a DNA slide, a bar code, a stain glass window, a light emitting diode, a data storage device a sandwhich assembly comprising a plurality of transparent substrates, safety glasses, eye glasses, organic light emitting diodes, watch, a spring, a two-piece spotter mirror, a curved mirror, a flat-to-curved mirror an aspheric mirror, an interposer, and a household device. 
 
     
     
       26. The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein said substantially transparent substrate is one of soda-lime float glass, alkaline earth boro-aluminosilacate glass, alkali-aluminosilcate glass, chemically strengthened glass, insulated glass, tempered glass, sapphire, silicon, silicon carbide, compound semiconductor, optical crystals, liquid crystal substrate, diamond, tempered glass, quartz, and ceramic. 
     
     
       27. The apparatus of  claim 25 , wherein said at least one laser induced channel edge has a straightness after separation of less than approximately 0.033 mm. 
     
     
       28. The apparatus of  claim 25 , wherein said at least one laser induced channel edge defines a hole in said substantially transparent substrate. 
     
     
       29. The apparatus of  claim 25 , wherein said at least one laser induced channel edge is angled with respect to said entry surface. 
     
     
       30. The apparatus of  claim 25 , wherein said at least one laser induced channel edge has a damage area extending from said laser induced channel edge inwards of less than approximately 0.09 mm.